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Douglas McConnell and his two cats Tiger Lily and Sebastian were in their apartment on Emerson Avenue when a fire broke out. McConnell found Tiger Lily after firefighters had put out the blaze, but he was still searching for Sebastian.
(Julie McMahon | jmcmahon@syracuse.com)

Syracuse, N.Y. -- In about 10 minutes, Syracuse firefighters put out a blaze on Emerson Avenue from which one person and a cat escaped.

Douglas McConnell was in the second-floor apartment at 105 Emerson Avenue when the fire broke out around 2:40 p.m. Thursday.

At least two neighbors saw smoke and called 911.

Georgiann Pullin, who lives two doors down, said she was leaving her home to take her car for an oil change, when she happened to look up and see some smoke.

"I don't know why I looked up, but in my peripheral vision I saw smoke," Pull said. "Then I looked closer and I saw a lot of smoke, then fire. It was really coming out."

Firefighters said the blaze on Emerson Avenue started in the attic, but they hadn't identified a cause right away.Julie McMahon | jmcmahon@syracuse.com

Jeremy Jackson, who lives in the house to the left, saw clouds of smoke drift past his window, and upon further inspection saw the fire billowing from the attic.

"It just was like wow -- smoke cascading from the house," Jackson said.

At least three fire engines showed up very soon after, Jackson and Pull said.

About 21 firefighters arrived and put out the fire within 10 minutes, containing it to the attic of the house, Deputy Chief Bill Elderbroom said.

McConnell had already gotten out of the house, and told firefighters no one else was inside.

The fire was challenging, Elderbroom said, because Thursday was a hot day, and the location of the fire required firefighters to stretch a hose all the way back behind the house and then into the front of the attic.

But no firefighters or civilians were injured in the blaze, Elderbroom said.

McConnell was searching frantically for his and his girlfriend's two cats, Tiger Lily and Sebastian.

Once the fire was out, firefighters brought him in the house, and he exited holding black-furred Tiger Lily. They were still searching for Sebastian as of 3:45 p.m.

McConnell and his girlfriend and the occupant of the first floor, who identified himself as a student at Upstate University Hospital, were assisted by the Red Cross.

Firefighters said they wouldn't be able to return to the house on Thursday, but that the fire did not cause severe damage to the first and second floors, and caused only minor water damage to the second floor.